Do You Need Roadside or Rental Car Coverage?

Many clients ask me if I believe they need Rental Car or Roadside Assistance coverage on their policies. I have come up with a relatively simple formula to determine if you should have one or both coverages. For example, a client has one vehicle and drives to work five days a week. I would recommend that the client has both Rental Car and Roadside. My reasoning is the insured will be needing his car every day, as well he does not have a spare vehicle to drive while his primary vehicle is being repaired. On the other side, let's say it is a husband and wife they each have their own vehicle and an older vehicle they are saving for their child, who will be of driving age in the coming years. I would only recommend having Roadside Assistance Coverage and not Rental Car for the reasons in the example above. I recommend that all of my clients have Roadside coverage on their policies because tows are costing more than before, and Roadside coverage is usually about $20 per car for the year. Now, what do Roadside Assistance and Rental Car Coverage cover for you?

• Roadside Assistance: Provides certain services that can be beneficial if you were to have car trouble. For example, you run out of gas on your way to work or have a flat tire, to name a few.

• Rental Car Coverage: Will pay for a rental car if your vehicle is damaged in a covered loss such as an accident. For example, you hit a deer on your way back from the movies, and your car will be in the shop for a week or so. This will not come into play if your vehicle breaks down, such as the engine or transmission going out. Or if you are going on vacation and want to rent a car.